Where Does The Worst Player Play In Baseball? (Real Truth)
Baseball is a demanding sport with many different areas to master. These skills include batting, throwing, running, catching, and having a good game IQ.
Then, there are nine different defensive positions in baseball, including four in the infield and three on the outfield. In addition, the positions include a pitcher and catcher that can be referred to as core positions.
All of this makes you think which of these positions are the easiest and played by the least skilled player on the team?
Generally, the left-field is where the worst player on a baseball team will be positioned. Even when the batted ball tends to go to the left side more often, the left fielder’s throwing arm doesn’t need to be so strong, and it’s surrounded by the most skilled players on a team.
The argument is often that the right fielder is the easiest position in a baseball team as the ball tends to go there the least. While this is true, it isn’t the whole equation to look at. Let’s review this matter further.
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Why Do Worst Players Play In Left-Field?
As stated, the majority of the baseball players are righties, meaning that the ball will more of the time go to the left field. So, how can the left-field be easier to play than the right field?
Two main factors make the right field more difficult to play than the left field, even though they are less in contact with the ball. These are; More Important Throws & More Difficult Catches.
1. More Important Throws
First, the right fielder needs to have a stronger and more accurate arm than the left field.
When a player has swung the ball and goes to the right field, statistically, many more people will try to advance from the first base straight to the third.
Naturally, the distance and difficulty from the right field to the third base is longer than from the left, which requires a more skilled thrower. By any means, won’t the defensive team want to allow a runner straight from the first to the third base! Yet, it’s only natural that the offensive team will try.
A person on the first base will rarely try to run to the third when the ball goes on the left side and even rarer that it ends up successfully.
2. More Difficult Catches
Second, there are more right-hand hitters, so there will be more hits that aren’t acting normal coming on the right field.
It’s true that more times, the right-hand hitters will swing the usual swing to the left side. However, opposite swings going from left to left or right to right are generally more difficult to catch.
This is because if a swing goes to the opposite side, it often has a lot of spin, making it more difficult for the fielder to catch.
Think about it, the usual and straightest line is from the right side at the plate to the left-field and vice versa. However, opposite swings will have something difficult on them.
For these two reasons, the more skilled player is often on the right field and the least skilled player on the left. Without forgetting the center fielder, it’s more difficult than left or right field.
What Is the Easiest Infield Position In Baseball?
Moving on from the overall easiest position in baseball, the least skilled player often plays on a team. Now, in the infield, you need more agility, flexibility, reflexes, and game IQ.
Nonetheless, even infield positions aren’t equal, as weren’t the outfield position. So, what would be the easiest infield position?
Contrary to the popular belief that the first base is the easiest infield position, it’s the second. Even though the second baseman has a more centered position, the ball is thrown there considerably less than the first base. In addition, the first base communicates with the shortstop.
Teamwork with the shortstop is important and makes the job easier for the second baseman, as the SS is the most agile, athletic, and often skilled player on the team.
In addition, the second base has a close throw to the first base, which makes the throwing arm requirements quite low.
Finally, only 10% of the general population and 25% of the pro baseball player population are lefties, meaning that the ball won’t be for the shortstop to catch that often. And when it is, the throwing distances to everywhere are short.
Note that these are my opinions based on research and what I thought was the most difficult and easy. Everyone can have their own opinions as there already are.
What Is the Hardest Position In Baseball?
![](http://racketrampage.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/baseball-shortstop-1024x683.jpg)
Speaking of more skill and difficult tasks on the baseball field, what is the hardest position in baseball?
The hardest position to play in baseball is the shortstop. Thanks to the most central position of SS, agility, strength, flexibility, and excellent game intelligence are minimum requirements to play the position as needed. This makes shortstop the hardest position in baseball.
The requirements for the body of a shortstop are more advanced than most of the other positions in baseball. Most positions need either great strength or fast speed, making the bodies either very strong and slow or weak and fast.
However, shortstop needs to be strong and fast, making their bodies muscular and lean. To achieve this, they require more physical training.
More requirements involve great flexibility because their reach needs to be excellent for the hard-to-reach balls that come near. In addition, the game IQ needs to be best on the team as the shortstop is most in contact with the ball, so they need to know where the runners are at all times to throw them out on time for all directions.
Some other popular opinions about the hardest position in baseball include the catcher, center fielder, or pitcher. However, when examining the needed skills in so many different categories, shortstop requires the most.
What Is The Most Important Position In Baseball?
I have touched on the easiest and hardest positions in baseball; however, what is the most important. Importance doesen’t always correlate with what is hardest, and it applies to baseball.
The pitcher is the most important position in baseball. The pitcher’s goal is to retire batter’s who take a position on the plate. A skilled pitcher allows fewer advancements in bases, whereas a skilless pitcher allows many. Successful swings at-bat greatly determine how many runs the team gains.
Therefore, if the pitcher is great at retiring batters by making them swing three outs, the offensive team will have fewer runs, which can determine the match’s outcome.
As the saying goes, ‘Pitching Wins Championships” which couldn’t be more true!
My Favorite Baseball Equipment
Thanks for reading this article. I hope it brought you great value that you can implement into your own life! Below you can find my favorite baseball bat, baseballs, and a glove that I think will take your game to the next level!
- Bat: My favorite baseball bat is the Easton Project 3 Fuze. This bat has a composite end cap, reduced post-impact vibrations, balanced swing weight for the fastest swing speed, and a carbon core that makes this bat perform very well! As I’m not a professional baseball player, I like to use alloy bats as you can swing faster and hit further.
- Baseballs: Rawlings Competition Grade Practice Balls are my choice for something to hit. I love these balls because they fit all levels of play, so regardless of who you are playing with, you can use them. They come in a 6 or 12 balls box, and you can choose between raised or flat seams! I prefer flat seams as the balls tend to fly further!
- Glove: When it comes to the glove, my choice is the Rawlings Sandlot Glove. This glove is available for both lefties and righties. The same glove is also available for infielders, outfielders, pitchers, catchers, and 1B mitt. This glove has a nice vintage look, and it’s made from oiled leather. It has palm pads that protect your hand from impact, and it is pre-broken-in, so you are good to go as soon as you have it! A glove I’m proud to recommend.
- Fan Equipment: If you’re a fan more than a player, you don’t want to miss Fan Equipment by Fanatics. You can find items from various sports that bear your favorite team’s logo, such as jerseys, gift ideas, or other surprising things.